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JULY 4th, 1876. 



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W* H. IRWIN, Esi„ and Rev. S. D. CROTHERS. 



GREENFIELD: 

Printed at tin* office of the Highland Chief. 



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HISTORICAL SKETCHES 



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GREENFIELD AND VICINITY, 

JULY 4th, 1876- 
W. H. IRWIN, Esq. and Rev. S. D. CROTHERS 



The events that go to make up the 
history of a little village will not at- 
tract the attention of those who only 
deal in the magnificience of king- 
doms and monarchs, the conflict of 
Vast armies, the exploits of heroes, 
and the pageantry of power. 

We can only hope to reach a few 
of the thoughtful around whom linger 
the recollections of the pioneer settle- 
ment, the days of privations, dang- 
ers, and hardships endured by the 
early settlers, in preparing the way 



for the peace and prosperity we now 
enjoy. 

The land in this part of Ohio wa& 
given by the State of Virginia to her 
officers and soldiers of the Revolution 
ary War as a reward of merit for 
their gallant services. 

About 1795, the surveying of those 
lands was commenced in this country. 
This was, then, the hunting ground 
of the Shawnee, Miami, and Wyandott 
Indians; and they watched with most 
vigilant and jealous eye, the intru- 
sive white man with his chain and 
compass. 



With prophetic vision they pene- 
trated the future ami saw their cher- 
ished bunting grounds disappearing 

before the devastating hand of civili- 
zation, and often repelled the en- 
croachments of the "pale face" with 
the tomahawk and scalping knife. 

In July, 171)7, Adams county was 
organized and embraced in its boun- 
daries most, if not all, of what is now 
Highland, and was the fourth county 
organized in the State. 

At that time there were but two 
white people residing within the 
present limits of this county. Johu 
Wileoxon being the first settler near 
Sinking Spring in 1795. 

In August, 1798, Ross count}- was 
organized and the territory now con- 
stituting Highland, detached from 
Adams and included in Ross, and 
continued so until May 1805, when 
Highland was iormed from Ross, 
Adams and Clermont, and embraced 
within its bounderies about half of 
Fayette and two thirds of Clinton. 

The county was then divided into 
four townships; New Market, Brush- 
creek, Liberty and Fairfield. 

Madison was then a part of Fair- 
field and the place of voting was Be- 
verley Milner's, .on Hardin's Creek. 

New Market is the oldest town in 
the county, and was laid pff in 1797, 
and was for a number of years the 
county seat. Here the first term of 
court was held May 10th, 1805. 

Court was usually held in a small 
room in a tavern only htrge enough 
to accommodate the judges, members 
of the liar, jurors, witnesses and 



parties, the spectators standing out 
side and listening through the cracks. 
The jury went out into the woods and 
sat on a log to deliberate on their 
verdict, and the session of the grand 
jury was usually held in a tree top. 

At one of these early terms of the 
court three men were ordered by the 
judge to be incarcerated during 
the night, which order the Sheriff at- 
tempted to execute by putting them 
in a cabin, but while he was fasten- 
ing the door they all crawled out 
through an apperture between the 
logs. The prisoners made no at- 
tempt to escape regarding the mat- 
ter as only a good joke. But the 
Sheriff was not to be outdone in this 
style, so he summoned a force, and 
rearrested the men with little diffi- 
culty. 

A Mr. Barrere had commenced 
digging a well which he had got 
about twelve feet deep, into this hole 
the Sheriff thrust the three men, cov- 
ered the mouth closely with fence 
rails, where he left them to remain 
in perfect safety until morning when 
ordered out by the court for trial. 
They were taken out by means of an 
Indian ladder. I will leave it for the 
young people to find out how one is 
constructed. This was the first case 
of imprisonment in the county. 

In 1796 Chillicothe was laid out by 
Gen. Massie, and the first choice of 
in-lots sold for ten dollars. In 1799 
a Post-office was established here. 

In 1S00 the seat of government of 
the Northwest Territory was removed- 
from Cincinnati by law of Congress 
to this place and the first territorial 



3 



legislature was held in 1801. June 
24, 1802, Chillicothe was irfcorporat- 
ed, and in November ol'the same year 
the first constitution was framed 
here. 

It then took only three weeks to 
make a good constitution". 

At the time Highland took its posi- 
tion among the counties of the State, 
it may be interesting to the young to 
tell them something of the domestic 
condition of the people who were 
then its citizens. 

They lived in log cabins with an oc- 
casional exception in the towns. A 
lap-shingle roof and a four-light win- 
dow were looked upon as verging 
upon aristocracy and did not meet 
with much encouragement. The 
furniture was of the rudest charac- 
ter, as the difficulty of transporta- 
tion prevented their bringing it with 
them. When they arrived at their 
destination, the indispcnsible cabin 
was first erected, then a piece split 
out of a log, holes bored in it with 
an auger and four rough legs put in 
it, for a table. Stools and bedsteads 
were made in much the same way, 
but the most of the family slept on 
the softest puncheons of the cabin 
floor. Shelves in the corner made of 
clapboards on wooden pins constitut- 
ed the "dressrs 1 ' on which were kept 
the pewter plates, cups, knives and 
forks, wooden bucket, skillet and 
hominy pot. 

There was no regular physician 
in the county at that time; the old 
women did all the doctoring and 
they scarcely ever killed any body 
with their herb teas. The little sick- 



ness they had- in those days was 
genuine. There were no lawyers liv- 
ing in the county and as a conse- 
quence the terms of court were short 

Preachers were very scarce, never 
theless the people were very pious; 
and a Sunday in those days would 
put to- shame one of our high toned 
modern Christian Sabbaths. 

Every man was sufficient mechanic 
to build his own cabin and to make 
the domestic necessaries, such as 
shoes, ploughs, harness, sleds, <fc'c. 

The ground was plowed with a 
long-nosed Old Virginia bars-hare 
plow with a wooden mould board, 
weighing more in its self than one of 
the modern steel plows. All the iron 
about one of these primitive plows 
was the share and coulter, but the 
deficiency was made up in wood work, 
which was clumsy and heavy beyond 
the. conception of one who never saw 
such an implement. In length when 
hitched up they were from eight to 
ten feet, and the wickedest thing on 
earth to kick, except a mule. When 
they got a fellow down they kept on 
kicking so that he was afraid to get 
up when he got able. 

The harrows were made by taking 
the fork of a tree, dressing it and put- 
ting in wooden teeth. 

The horses were harnessed with 
raw-hide bridles and traces, straw 
collars and elm bark muzzles over 
the mouth to keep them from eating 
the corn as they tugged the merciless 
plow through roots and stumps. 

Augers, hand-saws, drawing knives, 
&c, were rarities and as they were 



much needed were borrowed for miles 
around, There were no saw-mills 
and as a consequence no plank; all 
lumber having to be split out of the 
solid log; even the first coffins were 
made from lumber thus split out. 

Then, fashion did not play the 
tyrant, and people were honest, neith- 
er were they burthened with exces- 
sive taxes, to pay the costs of impeach- 
ments and investigations. 

Having given this much of the his- 
tory of the surrounding country, the 
reader will be better able to under- 
stand that which concerns the town 
more directly. 

In 1799, the commissioners of Ross 
count} 7 ordered the College Township 
Road opened. This is the old road 
leading from Athens through Chilli- 
cothe, Greenfield, Leesburg, and on to 
Oxford. 

The men appointed to this work 
were Duncan Mc Arthur, surveyor, 
William Rodgers, James Murray, 
viewers, Thomas McDonald and 
Michael Thomas, chain carriers. It 
was while making this survey that 
McArthur, conceived the idea of lay- 
ing out a town here, which idea he 
carried into effect in that, or the fol- 
lowing year. 

The first person that settled in 
this newly laid out town, was Job 
Wright, who built the first cabin on 
the lot where now stands the Harper 
House. Job's ambition did not run 
in the way of worldly honors or piof- 
its. The creek and the forest was his 
home. By trade he was a hair-sieve 
maker, which he followed when it was 
not suitable for fishing or hunting; 



but he never allowed business to in- 
terfere with pleasure. Wire sieves 
were then unknown and the hair sieve 
was indispensible in separating the 
bran from the pounded corn meal. 
About a hundred yards above the 
bridge, was his favorite place for ang- 
ling. From this erratic, red haired, 
long whiskered doubled-thumbed in- 
dividual, this place was named "Job's 
Hole" which name it still bears al- 
though the origin of the name to 
most persons is forgotten. 

Civilization soon crowded Job out 
of town and fai'ther west; the last 
heard of him was in 1831, living on a 
small island in Diamond Lake, Cass 
county, Michigan. 

Early in the spring of 1800, John 
Coffey, Lewis Luteral, Sam'l Schooley, 
Joseph Palmer, James Curry, James 
Milligan, and William Bell, moved 
into Greenfield and commenced build- 
ing houses and making other ne- 
cessary improvements with the view 
to a permanent residence. 

Bell died the next spring and was 
the first person buried in the place 
except a small child of John Coffey. 
His sons, Joseph, and Charles, learn- 
ed the blacksmith trade, Josiah 
the hatter's and established the 
first hatter's shop in the place. 
He afterwards engaged in the mer- 
cantile business in which he continu 
ed until the time of his death about 
twenty-five years ago. 

Joseph Bell started the first black- 
smith shop, close to where Dr. New- 
comer now resides. Charles at first 
worked with him but he afterwards 
opened a shop for himself near the 



grocery house of'T. N. Sellers, and 
continued in that business until 1827, 
when he sold out and engaged in the 
mercantile business, and continued 
to sell goods until near the close of 
his life. 

When Coffey and others first came 
here to settle, the Indians had their 
camp along both sides of the creek 
iu the vicinity of the town, and their 
intercourse with the white settlers 
was of a most friendly character. 

John Coffey was the first tavern 
keeper and the first justice of the 
peace. He built a log house on the 
northeast corner of Main and Second 
streets, where A. N. Johnson now 
resides, and opened a hotel, The 
house was of hewed logs] two stories 
high, twenty-two feet wide, and thirty 
deep. 

He sold out to Isaac Smith, (who 
continued in the business) and mov- 
ed on the farm now owned by Williani 
Gustin, where he spent the remainder 
of his days. 

When McAthur laid out the town 
he selected two lots, one to be given 
to the first male and the other to the 
first female child born in this place. 
Susan Farmer was the first child 
born here and to her McArthur deed- 
ed the lot where Elizabeth Doggett 
now lives. 

The first male child was of the 
name of Hogshead, and to this en- 
terprising youth was deeded a lot 
close to the place where the Metho- 
dist church now stands. 

James Commins built the little log 
house owned by Elizabeth Hollida}', 



where he followed the very useful 
business of hackle making. 

Isaac Death built a house about 
the same time where Willett's black- 
smith shop now stands and for many 
years followed the cooper trade here. 

Francis Knott built a tavern op- 
posite the Coffey house on what is 
now Judge Norton's lot, where he en- 
tertained weary travelers until his 
death. 

It appears by the court records 
that he was not an examplary man. 
In the year 1808 he was arrested, 
tried, and convicted by a jury of 
larceny and it was a part of the sen- 
tence of the court "that he be whip- 
ped eleven stripes on the naked back," 
which was done by the Sheriff in the 
public square in the presence of a 
crowd of spectators. Being the first 
case of this kind of punishment in 
the county, no whipping post had 
been provided, so tl)ey tied him to a 
beech tree. A whipping post was 
soon after erected on the north side 
of the public square at which this 
disgraceful punishment was frequent- 
ly inflicted. This was the territorial 
law from 1783 and continued a State 
law until 1815, when it was repealed. 

Major James Curry built one of 
the first cabins near the spring below 
J. C. Roach's residence. He had 
been an officer in the Revqlutiqnary 
War and helped to fight the bloody 
battle of Point Pleasant. He served 
as representative for several terms in 
the State Legislature, and was a very 
intelligent and accomplished gentle- 
man. In this cabin in 1804 his tal- 



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tented son, Ot way (Hitv, the poet 
■and editor w:is born. 

The first school, ill" which we have 
any knowledge, was kept in a little 
log house outside the town pjat by 
Judge Moomy about the year 1S03. 

In 1810, a .school house was built 
on out-lot Ko. J (J near T. M. Boyd's. 
It was built of round poles or logs 
sixteen feet square and covered with 
vlnpboards. A phice was cutout for 
the door and a log taken out ,on each 
side for the windows. One hall' had 
a puncheon floor, .and the other half 
next the fire place, which occupied 
•the whole of one end "was earth. 
Broad raiLs with legs in them consti- 
tuted the benches. Mr. T. M. Boyd 
and William Collier went to school 
here in 1814, but along in January it 
got so cold that the school froze out. 

In 1815, a good log school house 
was built in the grave yard; this was 
used until 1837 when two frame 
school houses were built and the 
town was divided by Main street 
into two districts. 

It may ]»e interesting to some of 
the young people "who now cany arms 
full of books and other accoutrements 
to know something of a school boy\s 
out-lit in early days. 

Shirt and pants of tow linen in 
summer, in winter linsey, wool hat 
or coon-skin cap, bare feet from 
April to December; heavy cow-skin 
shoes during the winter; frequently 
knees and elbows out; a small blue 
backed Dillsworth .spelling book, 
Pike's arithmetic, a piece of a slate, 
a few sheets of unruled coarse white 
paper, a little red potters'- ware ink 



stand filled with ink made from ma- 
ple bark, and a goose quill, to be made 
into a pen by the master. 

In 1845, the stone Academy was 
erected and for a number' of years 
was a. very successful institution. It 
linally failed to pay expenses, when 
a Union School was organized and 
the building bought for that purpose. 
And if there is any one thing about 
which we have any better right to be 
proud than another it is our Union 
School. 

One, of the great inconveniences 
suite red by the early settlers, was the 
want of flouring mills. They had 
often to go from thirty to fifty miles 
taking a whole week to make the 
trip, find if kept longer they dare not 
travel on Sunday or they would have 
the Session and Constable both after 
them. 

John Kingery in 1802, built a 
grist mill at the present site of the 
['Greenfield Mills." It was a one 
story log building thirty feet square. 
At first he ground onby corn, but he 
soon put in a hand bolt and made 
passable flour. The mill stones were 
made from the native boulders and 
are still on the premises. 

In 1830, Kingery sold out to Sam'l 
Smith and Samuel Yolm did the 
milling until Daniel Leib purchased 
it. who afterwards began the erection 
ol the present mill-house, from which 
he fell and was killed before he had 
completed it. 

The township of Madison was 
laid otf in 1809', and in 1810 the first 
election was held, at which forty- 
seven votes were polled, not one of 
those electors is now living. 



The early merchants <>f the place 
went annually on horseback to Phila- 
delphia to purchase their stock of 
goods. It took from six to seven 
weeks to make the trip. The goods 
had to he wagoned to the Ohio river; 
thence boated down to Ripley, and 
from there wagoned to Greenfield. 

Laboring as the people did under 
so man}' disadvantages for want of 
the improved methods of transporta- 
tion, it is not to be wondered at that 
they worked energetically to secure a 
railroad. 

On the second day of May, 1851, 
Charles White, an old Revolutionary 
soldier, then in the ninetieth year of 
his age, threw the first dirt on the M. 
<& C. R. R., near where the depot now 
stands. 

Thousands of people assembled to 
witness the ceremonies and to rejoice 
over the .prospect of soon being able 
to go east and west by rail. 

On the .first clay of May, 1854, 
this hope began -to be realized, that 
being the clay upon which the first 
regular passenger train ran over the 
road. 

In 1811, the first stone house was 
built in the place by Noble Crawford 
and was used as a hotel and called 
the "Traveler's Rest." The house is 
still standing and is the residence of 
Dr. Joseph McGarraugh. When it 
was built it was much the finest 
house in the place. Crawford kept 
the post-office here and was the first 
Postmaster, and this was the second 
office established in the county. 

The mail was carried by a boy on 
horseback, making the trip once a 
week. The mail carrier was then re- 



quired by law to blow a horn when 
approaching an office. 

In 1808, George Sanderson moved 
here and purchased nearly all the in 
and out-lots in the south and west 
portion of the town, fenced, plowed 
and cultivated the same in wheat and 
corn. He built him a house near 
where R. H. Miller resides and dug 
the first well in the town on the lot of 
Henry 1 DePoy. Mrs. Jane Edwards 
is one of his children and is the old- 
est living person born in the town. 
Here she has resided for sixty-seven 
years and has never been out of the 
town over a week at one time. 

In 1814, David Bonner came here 
from Chillicothe. He was a wool- 
carder by trade, and soon after he 
came here built a portion of the old 
part of the Harper House which he 
used for carding wool. He run the 
machinery by means of a tread wheel 
on which he worked horses, oxen and 
sometimes cows. In 1822 he put up 
a large woolen and cotton factory on 
the lot now owned by Sam'l Murray. 
In 1834 he introduced steam to run 
■the machinery. About the same time 
he put in mill stones to grind corn, 
and a pair of burrs to make flour. 
In the summer of 1837, about mid 
day his factory burned down. 

The next year he built the stone 
i building now owned by the Odd 
Fellows and used it for a short time 
as a factory. When he sold this be 
retired from business, but he contin- 
ued to reside in town until his death 
in 1853 at an advanced aged. 

About the year 1814 a man by the 
name of Chichester, built the house 



how occupied by C. II. Crothers as a 
saloon, where he kept tavern. 

There w:.s a large two story porch 
in front of the building which was 
a great place of resort during the 
summer evenings. The porch in that 
daj was a very fine piece of work- 
manship and was put up by William 
McMillen, Esq., who at that time 
was counted the best carpenter in 
the country. 

Jerry Wilson, succeeded him in 
1823, and at the same time carried 
on the saddlery business, Stewart 
Brown and A. J. Freshour being his 
apprentices. He sold out to Rice 
Vass about 1835; he sold to Major 
Mussou, who continued to serve the 
public until his death. 

Vass then bought the property 
back and continued in the hotel 
business until his death, except a 
year or so when S. W. Smith had it 

leased. 

In 1814 Captain James Collier, 
moved on the farm just east ot town 
now owned b} r his son, Col. William 
Collier. 

Captain Collier was one of the 
persons that every true American de- 
lights to honor— a Revolutionary sol- 
dier. During the most of the time 
he was in the service he belonged to 
what was called the "Flying Camp;" 
a body of men used to make rapid 
movements on the enemy. Much of 
the time he was in the service he was 
with Gen. Washington; w:is with him 
in the memorable retreat through 
New Jersey, and the terrible suffer- 
ing of Valley Forge. He took an ac- 
tive part in the battle of Long Island, 
helped to fight the battle of White 



Plains, assisted in the capture of the 
Hessians at Trenton and was in the 
battle of Brandywine. 

For his gallant services he was 
presented by Gen. Lafayette with a 
fine sword which is still in possession 
of the family. In 1832, the govern- 
ment granted him a pension of forty 
dollars a month. 

He cherished to his last days a 
hatred of the Tories. Died January 
30th, 1844. 

Charles White, another Revolution- 
ary soldier in early times settled on 
the farm now owned by William 
Taylor. His house was always the 
noted place of resort for itiner- 
ant preachers. He was the first 
Methodist class-leader in this part of 
the country, and filled that position 
for nearly fifty years. He participa- 
ted in a number of battles and con- 
tinued, through life, a devoted lover 
of his country and the cause of liber- 

ty. 

In 1835, he moved into Greenfield 
where he lived until near the close of 
his life. His last days were spent 
with his son-in-law Hugh S. Evans. 
He died at the advanced age of nine- 
ty-three years. 

Hugh Smart came to Greenfield in 
1824, and entered into thediy goods 
business with William Hibbin in the 
room now occupied by Hyer Bros. In 
1840, he built the house where his 
widow and son D. L. Smart now re- 
side. From 1835, to 1838, he served 
as one of the associate Judges of the 
county. In 1848 he was elected to 
the upper house of the State Legisla- 
ture, and to him Salmon P. Chase 
was indebted for his nomination to 



the United States Senate. In 1851, 
he built the three story brick build- 
ing on the corner of Main and Wash- 
ington streets. 

About 1815 a man by the name of 
Fullerton put up a still house east of 
Second and north of North streets. 
He run it for some time and sold out 
to Samuel Nichols; he to Rice Vass 
and he to Joseph Rodgers. Many 
years ago it burned down and it was 
generally supposed to have been fired 
by an incendiary. 

As early as 1811 Samuel Holliday 
erected a small distillery near the 
present residence of R. S. Douglass. 
Whisky by the early settlers was 
considered indispensible and freely 
used, as it is at the present time. 

In 1821, David Kinkead kept hotel 
in what is now known as the South- 
ward propert}^ just east of Judge 
Norton's house. He sold'out to Jos. 
• Lawhead and he to Samuel Wasson. 

The first physician in the town 
was of the name of Garvin Johnson, 
who boarded with Noble Crawford, 
and afterwards married his daughter. 

John C. Strain, moved to the farm 
where he now lives in 1808; he is in 
the ninety-third year of his age and 
so far as I can learn is the oldest 
settler in the towhship. 

Prominent among the early pio- 
neers were Thomas and Hamilton 
Rodgers, who came to this county in 
1804, selected and surveyed their 
farms and the next year built their 
cabins and were the founders of the 
settlement about five miles below 
town. 

Among the men of who came here 



in an early day of whom the present 
generation have a recolection was 
William Boyd. He took part in the 
Revolutionary War, and also the war 
of 1812. He, took a great interest in 
the affairs of the Government and 
was very jealous of any encoachment 
upon the rights of the people. He 
died at the age of ninety-two, having 
been sick scarcely a day in his life 
until his last sickness. His son T. 
M. Bo3'd, when he came hej-e in 1814, 
was eleven years old, and to him I 
an greately indebted for m any facts 
that make up this sketch. 

Greenfield was incorporated in 1841 
and the next spring the following of- 
ficers were elected. Hugh Smart, 
Mayor, Clayboarn Lea, John Boyd, 
Samuel Smith, Charles Robinson and 
John Eckman, council ; Dr. James 
Beard, Recorder and Jerry Wilson, 
Marshall. 

Mr. John Mains is the oldest per- 
son living in the town, being in his 
ninety-third year; his wife is in her 
eight} r -eighth year. They have been 
married seventy years and have lived 
fortv years in this place. 

The following persons have been 
living here for over fifty years. Thos. 
M. Boyd, Nelson Bell, A. J. Fresh- 
our, R. C. Kinkead, J. P. Morrow, 
W. W, Bell, Mrs. Hugh Smart, Mrs. 
John Adams., Mrs. Jane Edwards, 
Mrs. Dr. M. Dunlap, Mrs. John 
Perry, Mrs. Hugh Beaty, Mrs. Wil- 
liam McMillen, Mrs. R. J. McAlpiii 
and Mrs. J. D. Hudson. 

On the 11 of August 1847, Grand 
Master, Thomas Spooner instituted a 
Lodge of Odd Fellows, here, W. C. 



10 



Frye, R. C. Kinkead, Nelson Bell, 
James M. Grove, and E. B. Tut hill 
being the Charter members. 

October 20th, 1859, a Lodge of 
Free and Accepted Masons was or- 
ganized, Silas Irion, James O. Peny, 
Thomas Patton, Sanford Bradley, 
James Kaufman, Horace Strickland, 
G. W. Smalley, Rev. W. J. Quarry, 
Charles Robinson and Dr. William 
McCollum, being the Charter mem- 
bers. 

Oct. 2nd, 1872, a Lodge of Chapter 
Masons was organized. Chapter 
members, J. B. Eckman, W. W. Bal- 
lard, T. M. Packard, A. J. Smart, Jos. 
Fultz, G. W. Pope, W. B. Littler, 
John Chestnut, and Jas. P. Simpson. 

June 15th, 1874, an Encampment 
was instituted. Chapter members, 
W. B. Clark, S. C. Murray, Samuel 
Hamilton, W. H. Evans, A. G. Binne- 
gar, W. H. Logan, and J . M. Elliott. 

There are now in the town two 
thousand, one hundred and eighty-six 
persons. Four dry goods stores; 
seventeen groceries; three drug 
stores; eight saloons, seven shoe 
stores and shops; three clothing 
stores ; three tailor shops ; four hotels ; 
four harness shops; eight churches; 
five ministers; eight physicians and 
three lawyers. 

October 1 858, the first Agricultural 
Fair was held. 

July J Oth, 1865, the great raid on 
the saloons was made, in which the 
women spilled the whiskey. 

In the fall of 1869, there was a 
great "Free Turnpike" excitement. 
At that time there was nothing but 
mud roads, but during that and the 
jiext year, all the principal roads 



leading in the town were graded and 
McAdamized. 

June 24th, 187o, the cornerstone 
of the Town Hall was laid; dedicated 
this July 4th, 1876. 

On the 18th day of May, 1876, 
ground was first broken on the 
Springfield, Jackson and Pomeroy 
Rail Road at Waverly. 

We have hastily passed over a 
period of seventy-six years of our 
local history. How rapidly the time 
has fled, and what advancement lias 
been made. The contemplative 
mind cannot look over the past with 
out interest and profit. We can not 
honor too much the men who with a 
daring that put danger at defiance, 
opened the way to the peace and pros- 
perty we enjoy. 

While the moccasin, buckskin 
hunting shirt and foxskin cap; the rifle 
and scalping knife; the camp and the 
encounter with the bear, panther and 
Indian arc now only seen in the 
dim distance of the past, we can 
award all honor to the memory of the 
pioneer. Of them it has been well 
said: "That the memory of our fore- 
fathers is worthy of historic or se- 
pulchral commemoration. No people 
on earth in similar circumstances 
ever acted more nobly, 0* bravely 
than did they. No people of any 
eountiy, or age made greater sacri- 
fices for the benefit of their posteri- 
ty, than those which were made by 
the first settlers of the western re- 
gions. What people ever left such 
noble legacies to prosterity as those 
transmitted by our forefathers to 
their defendants." 



n 



THE CHURCHES OF GREENFIELD AND 

VICINITY. 

The (irst settlers of Greenfield and 
vicinity, were, to a large extent, 
men who feared God and kept his 
-command ments. 

They were men who loved the Bi- 
ble and the sabbath, and, before any 
house of worship was erected the 
gospel was preached from cabin to 
cabin and the woods rang with the 
praises ofthe hardy settlers. 

THE ROCKY SI'RING CHURCH. 

In the year 1805 a settlement was 
-begun four miles below Greenfield by 
Thomas Rodgere and his brother. 

The Rev. James Hoge, who was 
•afterwards pastor of the First Presby- 
terian Church of Columbus for forty 
.eight years, came into the settlement 
in the following year, tor the pur- 
pose of looking after some land, in 
which he had an interest near the 
imouth of Hardin's Creek. He was 
invited to preach and a stand was 
erected in the woods at a fine spring 
on Rattlesnake, on the farm where 
David Strain first settled which was 
a part of the land then owned by Mr. 
Hoge. It has been supposed that 
this was the first sermon preached 
within the bounds of the present 
Township of Madison. This, at any 
rate, was the first step that was taken 
towards the foundation of the church 
that was organized in that neighbor- 
hood three years afterwards. The 
records of Washington Presbytery 
state that on the 4th of October 1809, 
"A number of people on the Rattle- 
snake Fork of Paint creek, wishing 
to be known by the name of Rocky . 



Spring congregation petitioned to be 
taken lender pur, care and receive sup- 
plies." The name of ".Rocky Spring" 
was suggested by Mr. John Wilson 
in memory of a congregation of that 
name in Pennsylvania. The first 
ciders ordained in this church were, 
James Watts, Samuel Strain, George 
Adair, Samuel McConnel and Wil- 
liam Garrett. Mr. Watts and Mr. 
Strain had both been soldiers in the 
American Revolution. The former 
had borne a commission as Captain 
under General Marion. The first 
person buried in the Rocky Spring 
Churchyard was a sou of Col. Thomas 
Rogers. The venerable building 
where the gospel had so long been 
preached was injured by a storm, 
March 18, 1876, to such an extent 
as to be no longer of any service. 
The following is a list of pastors and 
supplies that followed Mr. Pittenger. 
Samuel D. Hoge, Dyer Burgess, 
Jacob W. Eastman, Joseph W. 
Gillespie, S. P. Dunham, R. W. Wil- 
son, E. Grand Girard, Alexander 
Leadbetter and McKnight William- 
son. In November 1871, this church 
was united to the Second Presbyter- 
ian church of Greenfield. 

THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED AND UNITED 
1'RESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

On the 25th of July 1810 the As- 
sociate Reformed congregations of 
Ckillicothe and Buckskin made out 
a pastoral call for Samuel Crothers a 
Probationer under the inspection of 
the Presbytery of Kentucky. He 
was ordained and installed pastor 
January 31, 1811, with the under- 
standing that he was to preach one 
third of his time to the Buckskin 



12 



congregation. At this time William 
Smith and Alexander Morrow were 
Trustees ; Noble Crawford, Collector, 
and Benjamin McClure, Treasurer. 

On the 12th of January 1811 a 
congregational meeting was held at 
the house of Mr. Alexander Scroggs, 
and measures were taken to purchase 
ground and erect a house of worship. 
The ground selected was on the land 
of Mr. David Matthews, near the 
residence of Mr. Hugh Milligan. A 
log building was erected that sum- 
mer, and the church was henceforth 
called Hop Run from a small stream 
near at hand. 

The pulpit was so high that some, 
who are now fathers in the church, 
remember sitting under it in their 
boyhood, on communion occasions, 
when the house was crowded. 

A hearth was prepared in front of 
the pulpit, on which ignited charcoal 
was placed in sufficient quantity to 
warm the room. It was soon found 
that this would not do, as the gas 
from the charcoal arose in such quan- 
tities that persons were carried from 
the house in a fainting condition. In 
1813 Mr. Crothers resigned the pas- 
toral care of the church at Chillicothe 
and gave his whole time to the Hop 
Run church. In April 1814 the 
church consisted of 80 members of 
whom 27 had been admitted during 
the preceeding year. In 1818 the 
pastoral relation was dissolved and 
Mr. Crothers removed to Winchester, 
Ky. At this time the session con- 
sisted of Alexander Morrow, Ben- 
jamin McClure, David Matthews, 
Wilson Stewart and Thos. Ghormlev. 



The next pastor was Rev. Jainei 
Brown. The sessional records art' 
lost and we have no means of ascer- 
taining the length of his pastorate. 

About the year 1835 the stone 
church now used as a school build 
ing was erected and Rev. John Gra- 
ham was called as pastor. He was 
followed by Rev. James Arbuthnott, 
and in 1854, by Rev. Andrew Ritchie. 

In 1859 the officers of this church 
were Rev. A. Ritchie, Pastor; Alex- 
ander Scroggs, Alexander Watt, Thos. 
Wallace, John Buchanan, Thomas A. 
Read and John W. Beard, Elders ; and 
A. M. Blain, R. Collier and Allen 
Stinson, Trustees. The session of 
the United Presbyterian Church con- 
sists at the present time — July 4th, 
1876— of Alex. Watt and Thomas A. 
Read, Elders. In 1865 Mr. Ritchi* 
was followed by Rev. R. K. Camp, 
bell as pastor of the United Presby- 
terian Church. 

THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

On the 11th of May, 1869, Rev. R. 
K. Campbell and his congregation 
united with the 0. S. Presbyterian 
Church and assumed the name of the 
Second Presbyterian Church of Green- 
field. Mr. Campbell tendered his 
resignation October 17th, 1870 and 
was followed by Rev. A. B. Brice D. 
D. who was pastor from November 
14, 1871 until January 1st, 1876. At 
present the church is without a 
pastor. 

THE FIKST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

While residing in Winchester, Ky., 
the Rev. Samuel Crothers, formerly 
pastor of the Hop Run congregation, 
united with the Presbyterian Church. 



13 



Having received an invitation to re- 
turn to Ohio and organize a church 
at Greenfield, he complied with the 
request, and on the 24th of June, 1820 
the. First Presbvterian church was 
organized. It consisted at this time, 
of sixty communicants ineluding 
Rev. Samuel Crothers Moderator of 
of the Session, Eligah Kirkpatrick, 
Wilson Stewart, and Hugh Ghormley, 
Elders, thirty-five persons from the 
Associate Reformed church of Hop 
Run, ten persons admitted on testi- 
monials from the Presbyterian church 
and seven on personal examination. 
In September of the same year seven- 
teen additional members were re- 
ceived. Of the seventy-seven per 
sons constituting the church at the 
close of the year 1820, only six are 
now living, viz: Mr. R. S. Douglass, 
Mrs. Elisabeth Murray, Mrs. Mary 
Ann Matthews, Mrs. Jane Elliott, 
Mrs. Sai'ah Smith and Mrs.vMarjery 
Wilson. Mr. Crothers was installed 
on the second Saturday of May, 1822, 
and remained pastor of this church 
until his death July 20th, 1856. 

In 1821 a stone meeting house was 
built on the site of the present edi- 
fice, which was erected in 1854. 
While the first house was building, 
the congregation worshipped in a 
grove a short distance east of the 
residence of Mr. James Robinson. It 
has often been remarked by the aged 
members of the church that during 
the entire season that they worship- 
ped in the open air, their meetings 
were never interrupted by inclement 
weather. The Rev. John Wiseman 
was pastor of this church from Sep- 



! tembcr 7th, 1857 to July 1st, 1863. 
He was a native of Scotland, and died 
May 2nd, 1876 in the 75th year of 
his age. 

Rev. S. D. Crothers began his min- 
isterial labors in this church Dec, 
6th, 1863, and was installed pastor 
Dec. 3d, 1864 

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

As early as the year 1806, the 
home of Governor Allen Trimble in 
Hillsboro, was a regular preaching 
place on the Scioto circuit. Rev. 
John Sale was then Presiding Elder, 
and Rev. James Quinn, preacher in 
charge. No organized society exis- 
ted in Greenfield until one was formed 
in 1822, by Rev. Jacob Delay, of the 
Ohio Conference 

Prior to this date, services were 
frequently held at the house of Chas. 
White, who then lived on the farm 
now owned by William Taylor, in the 
dwelling of a Mr. Mitchell who lived 
in the property now owned by Martin 
Devoss, and in a Cabinet shop on the 
corner where F. M. Robinson now re- 
sides. Among those who composed 
the first class were Charles White, 
class leader; Thomas Stewart and 
wife, William Collins and wife, Edgar 
Mitchell, Cool, Robbins, Jennings, 
Moore and Jones. The first church 
was of brick. It was never finished 
on the inside, the walls being left 
without plaster, and in 1833 it gave 
place to a large edifice built of stone. 
The floor in the aisles and before the 
altar of this church was made of 
brick, to prevent noise in walking. 
This remained until the year 1844, 
when the entire floor was renewed and 



14 



tBC brick finally removed. The, build 
ing is yet standing', and is occupied 
as a carriage paint shop. The edi- 
tiee now in use was erected in 1860. 
A handsome two story structure, 
nearly completed, was prostrated by 
a tornado, and the present house was 
built immediately afterwards on the 
same foundation indicating an energy 
that is well worthy of being held in 
remembrance. Since the charge be- 
came a station it has been served by 
the following named Pastors: David 
Reed 1841, Arza Brown 1842, Max 
well P. Gaddis 1843, J. G. Blair 
1844-45, A. Morrow 1846, John Dil- 
lon, jr. 1847, E. A. Roe 1848-49, C. 
II. Lawtou 1850, M. G. Baker 1851, 
J. C. Bontecou 1852-53, S. Bennett 
1854 55, J. J. Hill 1856, W. J. Quarry 
1*857-58, C. R, Loved 1859-60, T. S. 
Cowdcn T861-62, M. Kauffman 
1863-64, S. Weeks 1865 67, S. D. Clay- 
ton 1868-70, W. Fitzgerald 1871-72, 
F. G. Mitchell 1873-75. 

The Sabbath School cause found 
early advocates, and well preserved 
records from the year 1830 contain 
the names of several now seniors in 
society then registered as children. 
As a. specimen of the completeness of 
these records, we give the names of 
the "Officers and Managers" of the 
M. E. Sunday School under date of 
February 2, 1830. President, Chas. 
White; Vice-President, Robert Bucfc 
Managers: Joseph Lawhead, John 
Boyd, John Corner, W. McDonuel, 
David Furry, Levi Jennings, S. 1\ 
( oo 1, William Scott, Lyman Daniels 
and William Mains. Superintendents 
Moses F. Shin, and Sainuel Mains; 



Secretary, Daniel Cool; Librarian, 
Lyans Daniels, and Treasurer, John 
Eckman. Teachers: Marinda Allen, 
Catherine ( 'ottle, Laura McWert, 
Martha McWert, Julian Middleton, 
Julietta Jennings, Eliza Vass, David 
Furry, William Blair, Albert McWert, 
Charles Bobinson, Samuel Holliday, 
Josiah Rhodes, Joseph Lawhead arid* 
William Shadford. 

In 1850, the middle of the present 
century, the officers' of this church 
were as follows: Class leaders, Johrr- 
Mains, Jacob Middleton, S. F. New- 
comer, Andrew Ream's, Sainuel Eshel 
man, Samuel Mains and John W. 
Evans. Stewarts: John Eckman, 
John Boyd, James Robinson, William 
Scott, Hugh S. Evans, J. Say re, and 
S. Eshelman. Local Preacher: Wm. 
Shadford. Extorters: Sam'l Mains. 
Thomas II. Phillips. 

TIIK BAPTIST CHURCH. 
On the 31st, of October 1820, a 
regular Baptist Church was consti 
tuted by a council consisting of 
Elders: Nathan Cory, Heze- 
kiah Johnson, Jacob Layman 
and William Baker, and 

Deacons: Smith Johnson, Isaac 
Sperry and Thomas Cloud. The 
first members I of this church were 
William Beals, Thomas Berry, Levi 
Rogers, Philip Wagner and their 
wives, and Thomas ' Smalley. The 
following is a list of Pastors of this 
church from its organization. Jacob 
Layman, L. Freeman, D. K, Brown 
son, G. A. Clark, L. Whitney, J. 
Sarjent, Mr. Brown, 0. B. Hendricks, 
A. B. White, J. Chambers and S. T. 
Griswold. Hugh Smart and wife 



15 



united with the church June 19th, 
18:50. Through his liberality, about 
the year 1833, a frame building was 
erected as a house of worship, on the 
lot now occupied a by stone edifice, 
which was built in 1840, and re- 
modeled in 185G. 

THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL 

Church. 

This church was organized in the 
year 1840. 

Edward Raines, Thomas Bird and 
Solomon Turner were the first Trus- 
tees. The folloAving is a list of the 
pastors of this church, with the dates 
of their service: M. M. Clark, 
1840-41; Watkins Lee, 1842-43; 
Atchinson, 1844; Ishman, 1845-46; 
Samuel Ratcliffe. 1847—48; Samuel 
Wells, 1849-50-51; Watkins Lee, 
1852-53-54; Sam'l Wells, 1855-56; 
57; Watkins Lee, 185S-59; James 
Paine, 1860; William Newman, 1861; 
T. A. Wood D. D., 1862; I. Dillon, 
1863; Cooper, 1864-65-66; E. Wright, 
1867; I. Dillon, 1868-69; William 
Mogan, 1870-71; C. E, Green, 1872- 
73-74; William Davidson, 1875; N. 
Mitchell, 1876. 

Their first house of worship was a 
log building erected about the year 
1843. They purchased the one which 
they are now using from the Free 
Presb3-terian Church in 1866. 

A Sabbath-school was begun in 
this church about the year 1864. C. 
P. Hackett was the first Superinten- 
dent. Kindly assistance was ren- 
dered by other churches, and al- 
though there were many discourage- 
ments in the beginning, the school 



has gradually increased in numbers 
and interest, until the present time. 

TFIE FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

The organization of this church 
was effected October 13th, 1848. The 
committee appointed by Presbytery 
for this purpose consisted of Rev. 
John Rankin, Rev. W. G. Kephart 
and William Ke}'s. Twenty-one 
members were enrolled, and James 
McConnel and Wm. Smith were e- 
lected Elders. 

Rev. A. L. Rankin was chosen sta- 
ted supply for one half of his time 
November 13th, 1848. In the follow- 
ing 3'ear the church building was e- 
rected which is now owned by the A. 
M. E. church. 

Rev. D. M. Moore was called as 

supply in April, 1851, and labored 

until 1865 when the congregation 
disbanded. 

GERMAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

This church was organized in 
February 1854, by Rev. J. A. Cline. 
The first members w r ere Conard Ru- 
ple and wife, Mrs. Louisa Maeder, 
Stewart Hoffman, and C. Newbeck 
and wife. In 1854 a building was 
purchased from the School Board 
and converted into a house of 
worship on the lot now occupied by 
the brick church, built in 1873. The 
following ministers have held the 
pastoral office in this church: G. 
Bollinger, D. G. Reiber, C. G. Frits- 
che, E. Wunderlesch, J. Jehn, J. 
Phetzing, J. W. Fishbach, Conard 
Bier, George Weidman, Charles 
Helwing, Charles Lurker, Edward 
Ulrich, William Ahrens, Louis 



18 



Dunker, J. W. Fishbach, David 
Cressly, Otto Wilkie and Henry 
Warner. 

st. bonna's cataolic church. 
The organization of this church 
took place in *1 856, about which time 
their house of worship was erected. 
Father Jno. O'Donohue served as pas- 
tor from 1856 until 1859, and Father 
Michael O'Donohue, from that time 
until the present. 

SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH. 

On the 8th of July 1866, a council 
was held at which elder J. Powell 
served as moderator, and elder J. M. 



Meek as clerk. A church was or- 
ganized consisting of fourteen mem- 
bers, ten of whom was received by 
letter. John Cannon and T. II. But- 
ler were elected Trustees. 

The following persons have served 
as pastors : John Powell, four years ; 
Benjimen Sailes, two 3 r ears; Asa 
Pratt, one year, and Samuel Can- 
one 3 r ear. There church building was 
erected in 1874, previous to this they 
worshipped in the school houses in 
Smith's district about three miles 
northwest of Greenfield. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 750 260 6 * 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 750 260 6 



